Constantine had invited all 1,800 bishops of the Christian church within the Roman Empire (about 1,000 in the East and 800 in the West), but a smaller and unknown number attended. Eusebius of Caesarea counted more than 250,[16] Athanasius of Alexandria counted 318,[12] and Eustathius of Antioch estimated "about 270"[17] (all three were present at the Council). Later, Socrates Scholasticus recorded more than 300,[18] and Evagrius,[19] Hilary of Poitiers,[20] Jerome,[21] Dionysius Exiguus,[22] and Rufinus[23] each recorded 318. This number 318 is preserved in the liturgies of the Eastern Orthodox Church[24] and the Coptic Orthodox Church.[25] For some, the number is suspicious as it is the number of Abraham's servants in Genesis 14:14, and there was a polemical reason for the Nicene Fathers to imply that they were servants of Abraham, the father of the Faith.[26] Considering this, Hanson concludes, "The number of bishops at the Council of Nicaea probably fell between 250 and 300." (RH, 156)
The bishops did not come alone; each one had permission to bring with him two priests and three deacons, so the total number in attendance could have been above 1,800. Eusebius speaks of an almost innumerable host of accompanying priests, deacons, and acolytes. A Syriac manuscript lists the names of the eastern bishops which included 22 from Coele-Syria, 19 from Syria Palaestina, 10 from Phoenicia, 6 from Arabia, others from Assyria, Mesopotamia, Persia, etc., but the distinction of bishops from presbyters had not yet formed.[27][28]
Delegates came from every region of the Roman Empire and from the Christian churches extant within the Sassanid Empire.[29] However, "the Council was overwhelmingly Eastern, and only represented the Western Church in a meagre way." (RH, 156) Referring to an event in 335, Ayres says that “the Western bishops ... had hitherto remained on the periphery of the controversy." (LA, 272) "Hilary, for instance, never really understood the Arian Controversy till he reached the East as a result of being exiled." (RH, 170)
Many of the assembled fathers—for instance, Paphnutius of Thebes, Potamon of Heraclea, and Paul of Neocaesarea—had stood forth as confessors of the faith and came to the Council with the marks of persecution on their faces. This position is supported by patristic scholar Timothy Barnes in his book Constantine and Eusebius.[30] Historically, the influence of these marred confessors has been seen as substantial, but recent scholarship has called this into question.[23]
Of the Eastern bishops, the first rank was held by the patriarchs: Alexander of Alexandria and Eustathius of Antioch. "Marcellus, Eustathius and Alexander were able to make common cause against the Eusebians." (LA, 69) "If we are to take the creed at its face value, the theology of Eustathius and Marcellus was the theology which triumphed at Nicaea. That creed admits the possibility of only one ousia and one hypostasis. This was the hallmark of the theology of these two men." (RH, 235)
Other notable participants were Eusebius of Nicomedia and Eusebius of Caesarea, the purported first church historian. Circumstances suggest that Nicholas of Myra attended (his life was the seed of the Santa Claus legends); Macarius of Jerusalem, later a staunch defender of Athanasius; Aristaces of Armenia (son of Saint Gregory the Illuminator); Leontius of Caesarea; Jacob of Nisibis, a former hermit; Hypatius of Gangra; Protogenes of Sardica; Melitius of Sebastopolis; Achilleus of Larissa (considered the Athanasius of Thessaly);[31] and Spyridon of Trimythous, who even while a bishop made his living as a shepherd.[32] From foreign places came John, bishop of Persia and India,[33] Theophilus, a Gothic bishop, and Stratophilus, bishop of Pitiunt in Georgia. The Latin-speaking provinces sent at least five representatives: Marcus of Calabria from Italia, Cecilian of Carthage from Africa, Hosius of Córdoba from Hispania, Nicasius of Die from Gaul,[31] and Domnus of Sirmium from the province of the Danube. . Alexander of Constantinople, then a presbyter, was also present as representative of his aged bishop.[31]
"Athanasius was certainly present as a deacon accompanying Alexander of Alexandria. ... But it is
Most of them suffered for Christ.
The bishops did not come alone; each one had permission to bring with him two priests and three deacons, so the total number in attendance could have been above 1,800. Eusebius speaks of an almost innumerable host of accompanying priests, deacons, and acolytes. A Syriac manuscript lists the names of the eastern bishops which included 22 from Coele-Syria, 19 from Syria Palaestina, 10 from Phoenicia, 6 from Arabia, others from Assyria, Mesopotamia, Persia, etc., but the distinction of bishops from presbyters had not yet formed.[27][28]
Delegates came from every region of the Roman Empire and from the Christian churches extant within the Sassanid Empire.[29] However, "the Council was overwhelmingly Eastern, and only represented the Western Church in a meagre way." (RH, 156) Referring to an event in 335, Ayres says that “the Western bishops ... had hitherto remained on the periphery of the controversy." (LA, 272) "Hilary, for instance, never really understood the Arian Controversy till he reached the East as a result of being exiled." (RH, 170)
Many of the assembled fathers—for instance, Paphnutius of Thebes, Potamon of Heraclea, and Paul of Neocaesarea—had stood forth as confessors of the faith and came to the Council with the marks of persecution on their faces. This position is supported by patristic scholar Timothy Barnes in his book Constantine and Eusebius.[30] Historically, the influence of these marred confessors has been seen as substantial, but recent scholarship has called this into question.[23]
Of the Eastern bishops, the first rank was held by the patriarchs: Alexander of Alexandria and Eustathius of Antioch. "Marcellus, Eustathius and Alexander were able to make common cause against the Eusebians." (LA, 69) "If we are to take the creed at its face value, the theology of Eustathius and Marcellus was the theology which triumphed at Nicaea. That creed admits the possibility of only one ousia and one hypostasis. This was the hallmark of the theology of these two men." (RH, 235)
Other notable participants were Eusebius of Nicomedia and Eusebius of Caesarea, the purported first church historian. Circumstances suggest that Nicholas of Myra attended (his life was the seed of the Santa Claus legends); Macarius of Jerusalem, later a staunch defender of Athanasius; Aristaces of Armenia (son of Saint Gregory the Illuminator); Leontius of Caesarea; Jacob of Nisibis, a former hermit; Hypatius of Gangra; Protogenes of Sardica; Melitius of Sebastopolis; Achilleus of Larissa (considered the Athanasius of Thessaly);[31] and Spyridon of Trimythous, who even while a bishop made his living as a shepherd.[32] From foreign places came John, bishop of Persia and India,[33] Theophilus, a Gothic bishop, and Stratophilus, bishop of Pitiunt in Georgia. The Latin-speaking provinces sent at least five representatives: Marcus of Calabria from Italia, Cecilian of Carthage from Africa, Hosius of Córdoba from Hispania, Nicasius of Die from Gaul,[31] and Domnus of Sirmium from the province of the Danube. . Alexander of Constantinople, then a presbyter, was also present as representative of his aged bishop.[31]
"Athanasius was certainly present as a deacon accompanying Alexander of Alexandria. ... But it is
Most of them suffered for Christ.
